Catalyst Exhibits

Here’s how virtual tradeshows have been treated in cyberspace (there seem to be 3 general arguments):

1. Tradeshows are so expensive that virtual trade shows will continue to gain importance: they’re the wave of the future, and super-duper-green to boot.

2. Virtual tradeshows may never quite overcome tradeshows, because business people need to meet face-to-face, hug, and cuddle over that freshly inked contract.

3. Virtual tradeshows are stuck in the social networking fluff-world - not conducive to replace the serious business that actually takes place at trade shows

Virtual trade shows will never be able to replace tradeshows for the very reason that tradeshows were invented: they bring together the products and services of an entire industry under one roof. I will never be able to touch and feel the industrial machinery, MRI scanner, or new electronic gizmo that I expect to purchase. In fact, I’m basically on a glorified version of the internet - though I may have greater attention paid to my questions. Some potential clients may prefer to be on the “regular” internet, where anonymity is enjoyed, and there is no process involved with accessing your website. Virtual shows offer increased information for participants, going above and beyond what is available on the company website. The drawbacks, however, remain.

I do believe that virtual tradeshows will replace other forms of advertisement - print mediums being a prime example, with TV and radio also falling casualty to declining marketing budget allocations. We delved into 2009-2010 budget expectations earlier this month, here.

While virtual trade shows will continue to grow, the trade show exhibit industry is mutually exclusive of such growth. The decline or growth of trade shows is tied to the business communities’ willingness to travel and the cost of exhibiting (which is severely affected by the staggering costs of tradeshow services). So long as the business community needs to touch & feel a product, or meet the company they expect to do business with; and so long as that need exceeds the costs and fears associated with flying; the exhibit industry will continue onwards.

Disagree? Did you just sell a million widgets at your last virtual tradeshow, and are interested in gushing to us about your success? Let us hear about it!

“I don’t know how to put this, but I’m kind of a big deal.”

HCEA is the Healthcare Conventions & Exhibitors Association. Their annual tradeshow for exhibitors is coming up! This offers Healthcare companies to see some of the latest and greatest ideas from exhibit houses, and determine the best direction for their 2010’s exhibit program. That means exhibitors are trying their hardest to sell, sell, sell themselves [and their shiny new display booths] at the ‘09 HCEA show.

“ABC. A -Always, B -Be, C -Closing. Always be closing. Always be closing.” … “Coffee’s for closers, ONLY.”

We’ll also be taking a look at virtual trade shows; an experience I recently encountered with a graphic designer turned trade show coordinator; as well as critical aspects of evaluating exhibit designs. It’s going to be a great week here at the Marshall-Yard: the #1 trade show blog in the United States (well, we think so!).

Booth orientation has serious implications for the success of your trade show. Factors to consider include  the location of entrances, internet stations, concessions, main aisles, competitors, partners, large exhibitors, and pop-up/portable “mazes.” Ceilings heights, the character of a particular hall’s “scale” of exhibits, and the presence of any natural light (versus harsh show-hall lights). All of these factors play a distinct role in how your exhibit should be designed. Is your designer weighting these issues, or are they merely interested in how many widgets they need to fit into your space, versus how many you can afford? If the focus is on the widgets, do you think you exhibit will be a success?

Exhibit designs are a highly fluid and dynamic creations - with measure required for a myriad of different particular items. Does anyone have horror stories of multiple bids that came back unanimously awry?

A recent client extolled to me how she had gotten two 40×60 exhibit designs that maxed out at 8 feet tall. Albeit she had a hanging sign for added visibility - but 8 feet tall for a 40×60? She didn’t have any conference rooms, and specifically needed to be seen over the nearby 30×30 and 20×30 booths that she recalled featuring 16 foot tall exhibits at prior shows. The construction styles for the other exhibit houses apparently lacked the capabilities to go higher than 8 feet without some very significant costs - but how you can remain in the exhibit business with such diminutive designs?

How have designers understood your unique needs in the past? Do you often get the idea that your needs are not unique? With the factors involved, it seems peculiar to think that any exhibit could not be unique.

The trends of modest increases are paired with modest increases for marketing budget through the second half of 2009, and through 2010. Budgets were slashed across many different industries for the first half of 2009. This has greatly affected the trade show exhibit business, with exhibit houses lowering prices and responding with additional services. Even tradeshow organizers and convention halls have responded with stimulai of their own - reduced booth space pricing, and some early indications that services for things like I&D and drayage may be reduced from their inflated levels. Our “The Frugal Exhibitor” segment chronicals online sources keeping tabs on the ebb and flow of tradeshow values.

Let’s consider the cost of designing: The agency will likely bill the exhibitor for design time. The exhibit company with in-house designers will [sometimes] consider design part of the exhibit overhead. Buried in the price of your exhibit is the time spent on your custom design, but based on a very rough estimate of how many hours any project of a certain scope would take to create. Other companies with in-house capabilities will still charge hourly for design time, so this second group is actually varied with how they handle design time. The third group - who contract their designs through a third party vendor - is similarly varied. Some may handle the design cost in the price of the exhibit - likely marked up to account for the risk therein. Others may charge up-front for design. When it comes to how designing is charged to exhibitors, it would be a smart idea to get clarification of this detail up front (like on the FIRST conversation with an exhibitor). In some occasions I would even try to get this information in writing. With a sour trade show economy, there are floundering firms whose behavior leaves something to be desired. What do you think the best business model is for your needs? Up front design charges, overhead treatment of designing, or direct billing, after the fact? More importantly, how do these business models affect execution or implementation of your exhibit design to a working, walking, talking exhibit booth?

Ok, so your exhibit doesn’t walk or talk - hopefully that’s OK, but how do these three models affect how your exhibition comes alive on the date of your trade show opening? The design firm, our first option, has the least level of accountability or connection to production means. A recent example involves a firm that designed for a Fortune 500 client of ours.

A design company, who was brought into the fold by a new employee involved in the trade show & events team staff. When a bigger-than-life exhibit was dreamt up by the design company, all hell broke loose: some in the team liked the design, and wanted us to build to their specs. When they realized that the design included 80 foot high towers, and nifty technology that was going to cost millions to have union convention hall staff set up (services… aggghhh!!), the mood shifted. Our team showed them what we could design, based on their ideas, and it was something that a. Could actually be built as an exhibit (imagine if they let exhibitors build 80 foot exhibit structures!!!); and b. Could actually fit their budget (already a million-dollar budget - we didn’t push the price upwards of 3 million as the design firm had!). Did the design company introduce new ideas to the mix? Yes. Did the design firm create a really ingenious design? Yes. Did they charge for an exhibit that could not be built, could not be afforded, and did they charge by the hour to do so? You bet they did.

An in-house exhibit design team has the greatest accountability to a prospective client. The designers have experience working on projects together with the engineering/detailing team at the exhibit house, and they are able to see how their creations are actually implemented on a daily basis. Furthermore, they are familiar with the pricing structure and construction realities of the exhibit components. Most importantly, perhaps, is the “agency interest” of the exhibit house: If a design is not quite right, the designer’s time is seen as part of getting the sale, and not an oppressive cost to be avoided. Getting responsive revisions to your design is quite feasible, and often done without hesitation. This contrasts with contracted, third party design department exhibit companies.

The last option - wherein an exhibit house contracts with a third party design vendor - has some tricky implications. The risks associated with a design agency, namely unbuildable booths with “cost irrelevance,” are somewhat improved upon, though they still exist. Hopefully an exhibit company has a strong enough relationship with a design firm that the designers are familiar with the construction capabilities of the exhibit house (though they can’t be hoped to have the same familiarity of in-house designers). Further, the exhibit company is ultimately responsible for pricing such designs when selling them! The trickiness comes into play when it comes to design revisions, and overall “care” when it comes to the design process. Since design is a hefty item on the exhibit house’s expense report, they will CRINGE whenever they develop expectations for how long a prospective client’s design will take to create. Design time is actually an item of negotiation at every step of the process with these firms. The loser is the exhibitor, as their design has corners cut at every step of the way.

These are all straightforward, but essential aspects of the exhibit production process - and they probably deserve attention from exhibitors dealing with a new trade show booth vendor. Anyone have any comments that would be valuable to the discussion? We’d love to hear them - let us know what you think!

I had a pleasant conversation with a prospective client who is considering our 20×20 standard rental exhibit, which is renting for $10,000. After going through most of the details of what the rental includes he asked a very pointed question:

Tim: Ok, I know from experience that sometimes I’ll see a rendering, and it looks really bold and slick, and then the thing gets to the show, and the booth is just - the beams look like 6×6 inch on the renderings, and you get to the expo and they’re 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 - and it looks flimsy and just awful. What are these made out of? How big are they?

Me: Hmm. Great question. I’m glad you asked it, because they happen to be 6×6 extruded aluminum. You said you’re located in Lisle, do you want to stop by our facility sometime in the next week or so? We’d be happy to show you around, give you a flavor of exactly what we do here. And we’re almost always building an exhibit for an upcoming show, so you’ll see one of these puppys in a real application. Sound like a plan?

Tim: Definitely. Good to know that. I’ll find a time to head out there.

What baffles me, with this exhibitor’s very astute query, is how exhibiting companies can ever put up with anything less than what a design implies. If a company promises one thing and then delivers something wholly different - why wouldn’t you throw them out with the trash and find a new exhibitor?

And I’m seriously asking, this isn’t a rhetorical question: Does anyone work for a company who has been working with a company for more than a single show that has “delivery” problems between design and fabrication? Why does your company tolerate those results? Is it just a price thing? Is it because finding a new exhibitor is such a nuisance? Drop us a comment on why you deal with that, show in and show out?

Not only do most interactions between exhibit houses and exhibitors start with furniture arrangements-they proceed to price and logistics. This is when my blood pressure rises and I start to mutter incoherently to myself… Why is our industry so fixated on this mode of doing business?

Can we agree that the reason exhibitors spend tens, hundreds, or millions on their exhibit programs is for the purpose of marketing and selling? Can we agree that it is not because they are trying to sell furniture, and it is not because they are overly fascinated by warehousing and commercial freight details? I’m going to go out on a limb that the boardrooms that approve marketing budgets do so on an understanding that it will increase their brand’s, product’s, or service’s exposure, and otherwise increase sales opportunities. Why do we start off the discussion by discussing the widgets we think ought to be crammed together in your booth?

I endeavor, on every exhibitor conversation, to hit the ‘reset’ button, and orient the conversation around goals of the exhibit program. In other words, why were you given all of this company money? What is that money intended to provide for the company, and tell me what unique situations your company finds themselves faced with?

Product launch? Recent merger or acquisition? Defending brand or product against new competitor, or competitor’s new product? “Jaded” perception within industry? Business sector’s financial instability sewing doubt into prospective and existing clients’ minds? These are all common threads that we hear from exhibitors who need a new approach to their exhibit.

While I heap generous blame to the “cabinet makers” mindset amongst competing exhibit houses, a certain amount of criticism is owed to exhibitors. The approach that gains the most straightforward response from your vendors may not be the best approach for your exhibit program. What are some ideas for how trade show coordinators can improve their exhibit program from first contact, all the way through project completion? We’re eager to hear your comments on the subject - let us know what you think.

Like the book about procrastination that I’ve been meaning to read, a schedule can often be a looming, semi-important aspect of our daily lives that needs to get done, but for which tomorrow is suitable date for catch-up. Certainly, as the exhibit house, there is a laundry list of actions that need to take place within a scheduled exhibit delivery. Some of these require cooperation with a exhibitor’s trade show coordinator, and so making the coordinator’s job easier is a part of our job. What are the biggest challenges for trade show coordinators in delivering on tasks as scheduled?

Let’s start by touching on the basic tasks that involve exhibitor cooperation, and go from there:

• Graphic Artwork/Layout Due Dates - After being given an elevation that illustrates where graphics will be placed within the display booth, an exhibitor must collaborate with their graphics provider, and marketing team, to determine what messages need to be conveyed within the exhibit, and how best to relate that to the exhibition audience at the upcoming show. After this concert is complete, they deliver these high resolution graphic files (we’re not talking .jpg’s or .pdf’s) to their exhibit partner.
   
• Graphic Proof Approval - Once the exhibit house receives these high-res files, they take the necessary steps to transpose this onto the elevation which was given the client. Sometimes there may be discrepancies between what was originally requested in elevations, and what files were provided (it often becomes apparent if a graphics provider does not understand the context of the exhibit - they may need more information to make sure everything “fits” correctly”).
   
• Ordering services - Deadlines abound in the tradeshow world, and as we’ve mentioned here on the blog, there are plenty of hefty financial incentives to meet those deadlines. Knowing what kind of lead retrieval, floral, cleanup and other services is highly important to being able to make decisions in an orderly manner.

One thing everyone agrees on is the sheer volume of tasks entailed in executing a flawless exhibit setup - it’s quite an exhaustive list, and yet exhibit houses and exhibitors claim success on a frequent basis.

What is the most challenging aspect, as a trade show coordinator, in executing those tasks that require extensive exhibitor participation? We’d love to hear your comments!

Aside from the absurdity of that statement, there’s the lingering fact that many approach their trade show exhibition program with the very premise: Above all else, we need to save money on this year’s show. Is that correct because we’re in a recession? Is it correct because trade shows are so darned expensive? How could that ever be true?

The sole purpose for your trade show booth is to attract attendees on the convention hall floor. That is the only reason an exhibit program exists, and all other reasons flow from that goal. Trying to sell widgets? You need to attract attendees to your booth.  Aiming to increase brand visibility? You need the attention of attendees to get that. Hoping to build relationships with new and existing clients? They need to realize you’re at the show. The attraction of attendees to your exhibit display is the underlying motive that should be exuded throughout your exhibit.

One good nugget that can be wrestled out of our “Frugal Exhibitor” post comes from Candy Adams, “The Booth Mom“:

“2. Never make a budget cut where an attendee will see it. Regardless of how much you have to pare out of your show budget, always keep in perspective that image is everything, and a tacky, outdated exhibit speaks volumes about your company.“

Attention to your booth needs to retain the image you want your company to be perceived by. If your budget is lacking, there are other areas through which that disparity can be made up: smaller booth footprint, identify an element within your exhibit that can be sacrificed (e.g. - maybe skip the meeting room, or have employees leave their briefcases or other bags at the hotel to eliminate a storage room within the booth, consider the savings on rigging accomplished by swapping a hanging sign for a pair of 20 ft. exhibit towers), or consider if there are employees attending a show who play non-crucial roles (of course, this may not be your decision to make, but it may be worthwhile to consider).

In 2009 every exhibit house is offering discounted deflationary product pricing, and most are bolstering their value proposition. Ultimately, however, an exhibitor who wants to save on their exhibit, above all else, will find that there are some very cheap exhibits available in this marketplace. Attendee attention to your booth may be diminished or devalued, but you will have achieved your goal. Is that what any exhibitor wants?

Of course, many fancy themselves as problem solvers. My wife and I live in a 100 year old home, so we’re both often charged with the “problem solver” moniker on a weekly daily basis of homeownership glee! There’s a difference between being an every day problem solver, and being a designer - and no, it’s not just because they’re solutions have to look good - it comes down to constraints.

When our clients give us a problem (e.g. - we’re going to RSNA 2009 with a 30×50 booth, and we need to improve upon last year’s abysmal failure with our previous exhibitor…), they don’t just want a great exhibit that will increase attendee traffic: they have serious limitations. How do you meet your convention goals without blowtorching your budget?

Often exhibitors have unrealistic constraints - we want the world for a budget that is wholly unfeasible for any exhibit. More often, however, it’s a delicate dance that our designer must navigate, capitalizing on design elements that will accomplish multiple objectives simultaneously, and also keep the costs for I&D and drayage in check.

Essentially, however, this is a problem that needs to be solved within a strict set of constraints. Some exhibitors need to retain a similar image year-over-year. Usually an exhibitor knows how their sales team operates at the show - and they want to ensure that the “flow” is retained, and improved where improvement is needed. Sometimes just the opposite is true: an exhibitor needs a totally refreshed look. Perhaps a rebranding demands an all-new look. Perhaps the old “flow” was dreadful, and the layout goes out with the trash!

The process is almost always nuanced, sometimes altogether different. What are constraints you are seeing in your exhibition program? Adaptations being taken in the wake of recession conditions?

As our nation, and indeed the entire world, continues to borrow its way out of the current recession, we’re presently faced with rising bond yields. For those of you who based your marketing strategy on buying bonds, this is awful. But then again, you’re not bond traders, you’re marketeers! Bond prices are falling, so it’s a good thing your marketing plan was actually based on more sound methods-like internet SEO, social networking, e-marketing, trade shows, and event marketing. But will these things start costing much, much more?

Unfortunately for all of us, I believe rising bond yields will translate into higher costs for goods and services of all stripes, as lending costs rise and companies pass along those increases to consumers. Furthermore, with federal, state and municipal governments crying broke(n), we’ll encounter higher taxation across the board.

How does this specifically impact trade show exhibits? The exhibit production process is a concert wherein raw materials meet skilled laborers, followed by transportation, bringing them to a venue that demands a hefty dose of taxes, steep union labor “tariffs,” and a healthy dose of bureaucracy (in the case of McCormick Place, everything is overseen by the MPEA - a municipal body). Ours is a business where inflation meets governmental taxation and waste on a daily basis. The process typically involves trade show exhibit houses “absorbing” the out-of-wack show service costs. With inflation, however, the battered marketing budgets of exhibitors may find that exhibit houses are not nearly as capable of picking up the slack as we are presently.

Inflation has not merged into the fast lane of product pricing yet, having only introduced itself to bond traders over the past several weeks. Just consider this to be your first friendly reminder from trade show-ville. We might be in for a bumpy ride!

Disagree with me? Think I’m just being a pompous, alarmist jerk? Let me hear about it.

My query today incorporates this business model, and how an exhibitor perceives the services offered by an exhibit house. What is it that exhibitors really yearn for from an exhibit company?

At Catalyst, the focus is on collaborative design innovation (thoroughly flushing out all of a client’s needs, weighting the unique aspects of their audience/venue and current marketing initiatives, and figuring out how to fit it all into their budgetary constraints), high-touch account management (account management that keeps our clients informed, comfortable, and ahead of deadlines), and flawless execution (our baseline condition for acceptable performance).

That is our proposition, in short, but it has adapted to 2009’s recession in the form of added products, and greater bang-for-your-buck when it comes to exhibit design (we can do more booth with less, or more booth without increasing your budget). In a deflationary environment, these  adaptations have been essential, and well received. My question, dare I state it once more - What are companies really looking for when evaluating their prospective exhibit house?

Streamlined online account management? An interactive design process? A One-Price packaging of expenses (show services incorporated into final exhibit price)?

What excites you as a trade show coordinator?

If you're suffering from those dreaded early-summer allergies, we understand what you're going through! As we've talked more and more about the best ways to save money at trade shows, the elephant in the room is how you can get a better price for your exhibit booth. Let me illustrate how your summer allergies are related to getting a price break on your custom exhibit rental or purchase:

NPE - the National Plastic's Expo - is a trade show extraordinaire held in Chicago's McCormick Place once every three years. With the economy what it is, and with the trade show exhibit industry meeting difficult times, we're thrilled to have approximately TWENTY clients exhibiting at this year's show. With NPE less than a month away, this is a hectic time here at Catalyst, but we've prepared for the ebb and flow of demands on our production capacity. But what are some obstacles to a smooth delivery for each of our clients' display booths?

Our exhibit contracts feature a schedule of activities that delineates when different deadlines will take place. e.g. - When graphics are due, when graphic elevations must be approved, when final payment must be received, and so on. With nearly every exhibit company in the nation charging penalties for missed deadlines, it should not surprise anyone that exhibitors can save money by adhering to those deadlines.

More important, however, is how our clients can save by improving on those deadlines. Nobody calls foregoing a fine "savings" - which would be the equivalent to phoning to your spouse to brag about how you saved money on your commute because you didn't get pulled over. To actually save money, consider evaluating the schedule of activities with your exhibit house prior to entering into a contract. By having that discussion, the exhibit house will understand that you are serious about their deadlines, and that you are willing to improve the terms in a manner that may streamline their production process. With the number one operating expense being labor, it's no wonder that the more efficient usage of your vendor's hours (preferably on straight time!) may garner savings.

Sounds like the cure for your summer allergies may actually be frugal exhibiting. Open up the schedule of activities and evaluate how you can be a more compatible partner with your exhibit house. Not only will you get a more cohesive, well planned exhibit, but you'll also save some of those precious marketing dollars!

We all know layoffs are running rampant. And in the trade show industry...when clients readily pull the marketing plug to "save money"...more and more engineers, designers, carpenters, account managers and salespeople find themselves bellying up to the unemployment line.

...so waddya do now?

Whether spurred from boredom, distraction or a lack of challenges, we all become complacent (however fleetingly) at some point in our careers. And who sticks out like a sore, expensive thumb when the economy takes a nose dive? Complacent employees.

So shake off the dust and go back to your roots. How'd you get this far? If you're in sales, you likely made a lot of cold calls...and those cold calls turned into clients. If you're a designer, you probably impressed those clients with fresh, innovative concepts. And if you're the guy (or gal) that manages these clients, your knowledge, work ethic and attention to detail made you an invaluable resource.

Your clients need more help than ever before. Some are debating not only HOW to go to a trade show but WHY. They (your bread & butter) need you to be extraordinarily cognizant of their unique marketing objectives and financial needs. Most importantly, your clients need you to help them return on their investment.

Make the cold calls, pay attention to logistics and hone the creativity that landed you this job in the first place. Your clients will come back.

Sorry for the overused Wedding Singer quote... In compensation I offer thee a youtube of "Love Stinks," a ballod which kept me going through most of my high school and undergrad years.

Love Stinks - Totally unrelated to this tradeshow exhibit blog

Seriously, though, who knew that "Trade Show Etiquette" was available as a succinct online mini-tutorial? This hyper is golden for newbie's to the exhibition world. I'm hopeful it will help any newcomers out there avoid some of the more substantial faux pas!

Happy Friday and enjoy the wonderful weekend, everyone!

Trust but Verify - Save money on travel to the show, but justify your bottom line!

Is your trade show entourage saving money on travel?

Quantify your tradeshow booth's success

Travel savings from a small business person's book of tricks

Planes, Trains, and Hotels!

MEASURE your exhibit's impact! Without stats, there won't be one next year!

Anyone have a story of how they gleaned a scornful eye from show management? Perhaps you didn’t get that variance that you expected? Or perhaps business as usual was put “on hold?” We’d love to hear your story, as we can all learn from one anothers’ mistakes. Some helpful wisdom from our more experienced account managers, however, may yield improved results for beginners-

Approval dates are real, but flexible. Show management is asking for a final floorplan, but it’s still 2 months out from the show date - ridiculous, right? All the same, you need to contact show management, let them know you have not finalized your exhibit design (you might not have even chosen a vendor at that point), and agree on a date that might be more realistic for your situation. Remember: You will be working with these people for years to come, so treat everyone with dignity and respect (regardless of how you are being treated).

No design is final - unless the fire marshall agrees. Keep a keen eye out for canopies and enclosures. Thinking of your exhibit as a single family home, and referencing how stringent a building inspector would be when looking at a builder’s floorplan should give you a better frame of reference when dealing with the fire marshall. They are responsible for the safety of tens of thousands of show attendees. Remember that the first McCormick Place burned to the ground in 1967. Setup for the International Home and Housewares Show concluded with a raging fire - extinguished just in time for show open (the building was completely destroyed). Caused by faulty exhibit electrical wiring, highly flamable exhibits were kindling for the blaze that took the life of a security guard.

While the relationship between show management, exhibitors, and exhibit providers may be tense at times - and outright adversarial at others - there is no alternative. Their role is necessary, and exhibitors need exercise great care to ensure that the relationship is as harmonious as possible. Have a good story to share about your experience with show management, the fire marshall, or other authorities? Let’s hear them!